Some Family
by astroanna
Summary: Well here goes...Claire meets Nathan and Peter...
1. Chapter 1

Nathan Petrelli sat at his oversized, overpriced, wooden desk, his mother's words replaying themselves like a bad dream.

_"Underneath that gruff exterior, Nathan, you're a sap."_

Then, his self-righteous reply.

_"I owe Meredith more than that. I owe them both."_

The words seemed so lofty at the time, but when it had come to the true test, he had failed. He had chickened out. Seeing the photo on that phone had sent a pang through the politician's heart he never thought he could feel. He knew that if he met the girl in person it would be over. He would never be able to spin her as he did his other scandals, make her one of his "skeletons in the closet".

I need advice, Nathan thought. I don't know what to do with this...I need help, and not from Mom. Closing his eyes for a moment, he let his mind wander, thinking about the people in his life and who he could trust with this latest, and most damning, secret. The innocent face of his brother, Peter, floated to the front of his mind, and his eyes flew open. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the phone on his desk and fluidly dialed Peter's cell phone.

"Hello?" came the familiar, warm voice of his younger brother.

"Pete? It's Nathan."

"Hey, Nathan, what's up?" Peter's voice took on the friendly and pleased quality it assumed whenever he realized he was speaking to his brother. Nathan wondered sometimes how he could still hear that quality in his brother's voice after everything that had happened between them. Peter always had a talent for forgiveness, thought Nathan, I'll need that now.

"Pete, there's something I need to tell you. I need your advice."

"Sounds serious. Do you want me to come over?"

Just like Peter, thought Nathan. He was about to refuse the offer when he realized that he needed to see his brother's face at that moment.

"That...would be great, Pete. Are you sure you can come?"

"Of course I can. It's one of the perks of unemployment."

Nathan could hear the smile in his brother's voice, and it made him smile, too.

"Thanks, Pete."

"I'll see you in half an hour. Later, Nate."

"Bye, Pete."


	2. Chapter 2

"A daughter!?"

Nathan could hear the shock in his brother's voice, and it didn't surprise him. He was in shock when he had learned of his daughter, too.

"Yeah."

Nathan picked up his cell phone and opened it. He had asked Meredith to send him the picture of the girl. Calling it up, the handed the phone to Peter.

"There she is."

Peter took the phone and looked down at the screen. Peter's face took on a look of confusion for a moment. He tilted the phone to get a better look at the photo, then his eyes flew to Nathan's face, a look of total shock on his face.

"Claire…" he said, his voice barely a whisper. Now it was Nathan's turn to be shocked.

"You know her?"

Peter looked down at the photo one more time and spoke, his voice rushed as it always was when he was agitated.

"This...this is her, Nathan. The cheerleader I met in Texas. 'Save the cheerleader, save the world', remember? She...she has an ability, too."

Nathan looked at his brother curiously, skeptical as always.

"How do you know?"

"When I met her I was able to absorb her power. Her power…it saved my life."

"What power?"

Peter smiled.

"She…your daughter, Nathan…can heal herself. If she's injured, her wounds just-" Peter snapped his fingers, "disappear."

Nathan was silent for a moment, still disbelieving, yet somehow knowing it was true.

"It's all connected," Nathan said softly. Peter smiled knowingly, almost smugly.

"So now you believe me, huh?" he said teasingly. Nathan could not help but smile, too.

"What...what's she like, Pete?"

"She's...so sweet, Nathan. She's-" Peter looked Nathan in the eyes, "No. I'm not doing it like this." Peter stood up. "Let's go, Nathan."

Nathan was bewildered for a moment.

"Go where, Pete?"

"Where else? Texas."

Nathan shook his head.

"No, Pete. I-I can't."

Peter's eyes hardened, most uncharacteristically.

"I'm not going to let you run away from this one, Nathan. Not this time. I don't care if it's embarrassing or uncomfortable or inconvenient for you. She is a person, Nathan, a wonderful person and I won't let you ignore her."

"What am I supposed to say to her, Pete? 'Sorry I haven't called in the past decade!?'"

"You'll figure it out later, Nathan. Let's just take the first step."

Peter held his hand out to his brother, as if inviting him to stand and face his future. Slowly, Nathan took his brother's hand and allowed himself to be helped to his feet. The two brothers stood, face to face, for several long moments. Finally Nathan nodded and, smiling, embraced his brother swiftly.


	3. Chapter 3

Nathan and Peter stood before the nondescript door and stared at it for what seemed like hours. Finally Peter broke the daze the two were in and spoke.

"Well, it's now or never, Nate."

Nathan nodded. The two walked the short distance to the door and Peter knocked on it forcefully. There was a soft sound of footsteps from inside the house, then the door was opened. Standing there before them was the young woman, Claire; Nathan's long-lost daughter and Peter's niece. Her eyes went wide for a long moment and as they fell on Peter she grinned, a huge, goofy grin from ear to ear.

"Peter!?" she exclaimed, surprise and wonder in her voice as she opened the door fully to admit them. "What are you doing here?"

Claire unabashedly threw her arms around Peter and Nathan stood there, a strange sadness coming over him, as he watched his brother gently embracing his daughter as if they had known each other for years. Firmly but tenderly breaking away from Claire, Peter threw Nathan an apologetic look before speaking.

"Claire, it's so great to see you again but…there's another reason why I'm here."

Peter gave Nathan another look, as if to say 'go ahead', and then came to stand behind Nathan. Claire stood between the two men, a look of confusion on her face for a moment, but she quickly recovered.

"Um…okay. Would you like to sit down?" she said solicitously, gesturing to the couch in the living room behind her.

"Thank you," Nathan said, finally finding his voice.

"I'm sorry, sir, I haven't introduced myself. Claire Bennet," she said, holding out her hand to Nathan. He smiled, marveling at the young woman's composure and manners.

"Nathan Petrelli," he replied, shaking her hand. Claire's eyebrows raised for a moment as she shook the older man's hand.

"Then you're Peter's-"

"Brother," Nathan said, looking at Peter jokingly. "It seems you have better manners than my little brother here." Peter blushed endearingly, and Claire giggled.

The three of them sat down in the living room, Peter and Nathan sitting side-by-side on the couch and Claire sitting in a chair across from them.

"Can I offer you anything to drink?" Claire said.

"No, thank you, Claire," Nathan said quietly. The three sat in silence for several long moments before Claire spoke again.

"Wait a minute. I-I know you, too, Mr. Petrelli."

"Nathan. Please, call me Nathan."

"Nathan," Claire repeated, smiling. Nathan looked at Peter swiftly, wondering how this girl could possibly know why they were there. Peter looked just as confused as Nathan felt. "Yeah," Claire went on, "we have to, um, keep up on current events for my social studies class. You're running for Congress from New York, right?" The two men took simultaneous breaths of relief.

"Yes, I am," Nathan replied. "I must say I'm impressed. I wouldn't expect someone so young, and from Texas, to know the political workings of New York." Claire shrugged amiably, taking the compliment in stride.

"Thank you." Claire looked at the two men, who seemed to be staring at her, and then decided to take charge. "So…what brings you two to Texas? To…my house?"

Nathan took a deep breath.

"I'm not really sure how to say this, Claire, but…" Nathan looked at Peter for a moment, as if trying to draw strength from his brother's eyes, "I'm…your father. Your biological father."

Claire stared at Nathan for a long moment, her eyes seeming to harden considerably.

"So…what changed your mind?" she said.

Nathan looked at the young woman, bewildered.

"What do you mean, Claire?"

"I was there. I was there when you were talking to my mom. She asked you if she had made a mistake, if she should call me so that I could meet you. You told her you didn't want to meet me."

"What?" Peter said, staring at Nathan. "You didn't want to meet your own daughter?"

"It's…complicated, Pete." Nathan sighed. "I was…talking to Mom, and-"

"Oh, that figures." Peter looked at Claire pleadingly. "Our mom isn't exactly the Carol Brady type. I don't know what she said to him, but please don't hold it against my brother."

Claire nodded, then sighed in her turn.

"I guess a long-lost illegitimate daughter isn't the best advertisement on a political campaign," she said, smiling sadly.

"Claire, no-" Peter began, his eyes holding heartbreak for his young friend and niece.

"It's okay, Peter. I've gotten used to having people let me down."

"I'm sorry, Claire-" Nathan said, but before he could go on Claire was speaking again.

"I'm not talking about you, Nathan."

Claire's head bowed, and Peter could see tears welling in the young woman's eyes. He stood up and went to kneel in front of Claire.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Peter said quietly, taking one of her hands in his. Claire shook her head, unable to speak for a long moment.

"My…my father, my adoptive father," she said, glancing at Nathan, "is a fraud, Peter. I don't even know who he really is."

"What do you mean?" Peter said softly, looking up at the young woman and barely hanging on to his own composure. He could hardly bear to see her in such pain.

"I always thought he worked in a paper factory," she said, wiping away a stray tear, "a paper factory!" Claire laughed bitterly. "It's ridiculous." Claire stopped for a moment, as if realizing Nathan was there for the first time. She lowered her voice to a whisper so than only Peter could hear. "Peter…does he know?" she said, gesturing to Nathan with her chin, "About me? About us?"

Peter smiled.

"Yeah. Claire, he has an ability, too."

Claire's eyes went wide and her tears ceased instantly.

"What is it?"

Peter looked back at Nathan, grinning.

"Why don't you show her, Nate?"

Nathan's eyebrows raised. He was still uncertain about using his power, but he probably owed it to the girl. Sighing, he stood up.

"Are we alone?" Nathan asked. Claire nodded. Nathan focused for a moment, then levitated several feet above the ground. Smiling, Peter stood and did the same thing. As both brothers returned to being earthbound Claire's jaw was still dropped.

"Wait a sec. Peter I thought…that you were like me; that you could heal."

"When I was around you I could. When I'm around Nathan I can fly. I sort of absorb the powers of people I'm near. Actually I'm learning how to control it so that I can use the powers even when I'm not near the other person."

"Wow," Claire said breathlessly.

"Your power saved my life more than once, Claire," Peter went on. Claire beamed.

"I'm glad." Claire's eyes took on a mischievous gleam. "So what else can you do?"

Peter smiled.

"I'm not sure now's the right time," Peter said, looking at Nathan. Nathan grinned, too, however.

"Come on, Pete, I'm curious too."

Peter shrugged, somewhat self-consciously. Closing his eyes for a moment, Peter took a deep breath. He looked down at his own hands, and Claire and Nathan instinctively did the same. Then, to the shock of both of the others, Peter's hands began to simply disappear. Then his arms, torso, and the rest of him did the same.

"Pete!?" Nathan said worriedly.

"Don't worry, Nathan, I'm here," came a disembodied voice, "I'm just invisible."

The next moment the air seemed to shimmer and then Peter was back, the same as ever. Claire looked at the two men, and a tear fell down her cheek, but it was not a tear of sorrow.

"Some family," she whispered.


End file.
